Furnace-setting for concentration-pots.



I F. H. NiCKLE. FURNACE SETTING FOR CONCENTRATION POTS.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. 1915. 1,1 91 338. Patented J111y18,1916.'

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F H. NICKLE,

FURNACE-SETTING FOR CONCENTRATION POTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I8 I915.

WITNESS Patented July 18, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

f5 a A TTOR/I/EY? FRANK H. NICKLE, OF MIDLAND, 1VIICHIGAN.

FURNACE-SETTING FOB CONCENTRATION-POTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. NIoKLn, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Midland, in the county of Midland and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Furnace-Settingfor Concentration-Pots, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnace settings for large pots, or kettles, used for the-final concentrating of caustic soda liquor and other chemicals, and its object is to economize in fuel and to increase the output of the finishedproduct.

tles (usually cast-iron), commonly termed caustic pots, surrounded by brickwork and arranged so that the products of combustion,

from any source, may be delivered tangentially to one side and caused to travel circumferentially around the exterior of the ot. p This invention also consists of a two-pot arrangement, wherein the products of combustion, after having traveled circumferentially around a primary pot, are caused to travel around a secondary pot which serves as an economizer to recover waste heat from primary flue gases. Suitable fiues, provided with dampers, are arranged so that either pot may be operated as the primary, while the other pot serves as the secondary or economizer. I desirable, either pot may be operated independently and the flue gases delivered directlyto the stack.

After a pot of liquor is finished, it is de sirable to keep the pot warm while settling and bailing out the contents. This may be accomplished economically by discontinuing the firing and arranging the dampers so that the pot containing'the finished liquor may become the secondary, and thereby derive heat from the flue gases leaving the other or the primary pot. After bailing out the contents of the finished pot, the pot may be filled with fresh liquor, and this liquor preheated and partially concentrated by means of waste heat from the other pot, until it becomes desirable to rearrange the dampers and apply direct fire to the pot.

This invention also consists of a three-pot arrangement, wherein the third pot serves as an economizer in conjunction with two direct-fired pots. If desirable both primary pots may be fired simultaneously, the com- Specification of Letters'Patent.

This invention consists of one'or more ketv Patented s re, 1916.

Application filed December 18, 1915. SerialN o. 67,540.

bined flue gases being delivered to the economizer pot. Fresh liquor is supplied .to the .economizer pot, where it is pre-heated and partially concentrated by the waste flue gases. From the economizer pot, which is elevated'higher than the direct-fired pots, the; liquor'is fed by gravity to the direct fired po s. v

This invention also consists of the various details of construction shown in the accompanylng drawings and especially pointed out in the annexed claims.

The invention further consists in a proc ess of concentrating liquor by applying heat to a containing pot in a manner which gives rise to a continuous peripheral circulation in substantially horizontal planes throughout substantially the entire depth of-the liquor.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional plan new of a two-pot arrangement in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a partial sectional elevation on line 2-2, and Fig. 3' is a sectional elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 1'. Fig. 4 is a plan viewof a threepot setting in which my invention is also embodied. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 and 2 indicate caustic potswhich are supported by piers 3 and 4 respectively. Surrounding the pots are circularubrick walls 5 and 6, which join tangentially'the furnace walls 7 and 8 respectively. Combustion chambers 9 and 10 are provided with gates 11 and 12 respectively. The brick walls 5 and 6 are concentric withthe outside of pots 1 and 2 respectively and spaced therefrom to form passages 13'and .14 for the products of combustion, the passages terminating in the soot chambers or pockets 15 and 16. The soot chambers are separated from the corresponding combustion chambers 9 and 10 by the walls 17 and 18, suitable openings 19 and 20 being provided to communicate between the combustion chambers and the soot chambers.

Communicating between the soot chambers 15 and 16 isa passage 21 for flue gases. The stack 22, resting upon the brick base 23, is arranged to withdraw flue gases from each soot chamber through fiues 24 and 25. Dampers 26, 27, 28, 29, and 31 are provided so that the direction of the flue gases may be controlled.

To operate pot 1 as the primary, or the direct-fired pot, and pot 2 as the secondary,

the dampers should be arranged as follows: close 26, and 29; open 28, 27 and 31. By reversing the dampers it is evident that pot 2 may be made the primary while pot 1 is converted into a secondary. If desirable, both pots may be fired and operated independently by closing all dampers with the exception of 30 and 31.

The hottest and most effective heating surface on either pot is adjacent to the combustion chamber, where the products of combustion are delivered tangentially to the exterior of the pot; the coldest and least effective heating surface is adjacent to the soot chamber. There being a considerable difference in temperature between the hottest and the coldest heating surface, it is evident that there will be a natural tendency for the liquor undergoing concentration to circulate as indicated by the arrows, the direction of rotation being the same as the flue gases and substantially about the vertical center line of the pot as an axis. The circulation of the liquor, induced by the tangential ap plication of the heating gases, is quite rapid and tends to increase the eliiciency of the heating surface.

In the usual type of caustic pot furnace setting, the products of combustion divide at the combustion chamber and travel in opposite directions to a common flue at the rear of the pot. This arrangement has a decided disadvantage, as it induces counter currents in the boiling liquor which counteract each other and thereby retard the circulation. My invention not only obviates this difliculty, but it enables the heating gases to travel at a higher velocity and to be longer in contact with the heating surface.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the outside pots 32 and 33 have a brick furnace setting similar to the setting illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The heating gases pass around the'pots 32 and 33, and enter soot chambers 34 and 35, respectively, which correspond to soot chambers 15 and 16 on Figs. 1 and 2. Located between the two directfired pots is a third pot 36, elevated higher than pots and 33, and surrounded by brickwork 37 which is spaced apart from the pot 36 to form a passage 38 for the flue gases. with one end of the passage 38 is a flue 39, which leads to the stack base 40 (Fig. 4), the stack not being shown; communicating with the other end of the passage 38 is a flue 41, which connects with fiues 42 and 43 that lead, respectively, from soot chambers 34 and 35. Dampers 44 and 45 are provided for the regulation of the draft, and in order that either pot may be cut out of operation. With dampers 44 and 45 open the waste heating gases from pots 32 and 33 are delivered through flues 42 and 43 to the flue 41, thence the flue gases pass around the pot Communicating The liquor in the economizer pot 36 will rotate about an axis which is substantially the vertical center line of the pot, the direc tion of rotation being concurrent with the travel of the flue gases. Although the cir'culation of the liquor in the economizer pot is less active than in the direct-fired pots, it is evident that the principle is the same. In each case, the circulation is dependent upon a manner of applying heat to a pot of cir cular horizontal cross-section, and from this circulation is derived a high rate of heat transmission and a saving of fuel not here tofore attained.

It is clear that many changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention; for example, an apparatus, more eiiicient than that shown, for abstracting waste heat and applying it to a preheater or economizer may be used, particularly a low temperature steam generator r a vacuum evaporating pan. I do not, therefore, wish to be limited otherwise than as indicated by the subjoined claims.

I claim 1. In combination, a pot for liquor which is to be heated, said pot being arranged to allow free circulation of the liquor tangentially with reference to arcs struck about a vertical axis, a combustion chamber, and means for applying the products of combustion tangentially throughout substantially the whole periphery of the pot, whereby the liquor is caused to travel continuously in the general direction in which the products of combustion are applied.

2. Incombination, a pot for liquor which is to be heated, said pot being of curved horizontal cross section and being arranged to allow free circulation of the liquor sub- 1' stantially horizontally about the periphery thereof, means for applying heat to the pot in quantities that gradually decrease frbm a predetermined point and in a given general direction throughout a 'major portion 'of a horizontal section of the pot, whereby the liquor is caused to travel continuously in the general direction of decreasing application of heat.

3. In combination, a pot for liquor which is to be concentrated, said pot being of curved horizontal cross section and being arranged to allow free circulation of the liquor substantially horizontally about the periphery thereof, means for applying heat to the pot in quantities that gradually decrease from a predetermined point and in a single direction therefrom horizontally with reference to a horizontal section of the pot, whereby the liquor is caused to continuously circulate in the general direction in which the heat decreases.

l. In a caustic pot setting, the combination of a metal pot, a pier supporting the pot, brickwork surrounding the pot and spaced therefrom, an opening in the said brickwork adapted to serve as a combustion chamber, another opening adapted to serve as an outlet for the flue gases, said flue gases being caused to travel tangentially in one direction around the pot.

5. In a pot setting, the combination of a pier, a pot resting on the pier, a wall surrounding the pot and spaced therefrom to form a passage for products of combustion, an opening in the wall adapted to serve as a combustion chamber, an outlet in the wall adapted for the withdrawal of the heating gases, said outlet being adjacent to the said combustion chamber to enable the products of combustion to travel substantially the en-, tire distance around the pot.

(3. In a furnace process setting for caustic pots, the combination of a furnace, a caustic pot having liquor therein, means to cause the liquor to rotate, said means being the products of combustion applied tangentially to the exterior of the pot and traveling in a direction concurrent with the rotation of the liquor within the pot.

7. In a furnace process setting, the combination of a retort, a wall surrounding the retort and spaced therefrom, a furnace in conjunction therewith, said furnace being adapted to deliver the products of combustion tangentially to one side of the retort.

8. In a furnace process setting, the combination of two pots, a furnace for each of the pots, a brick wall surrounding each pot and spaced therefrom to form a passage for the heating gases, a soot chamber at the outlet end of each of the said passages, a stack or other means adapted to withdraw heating gases from either pot setting, a flue communicating with the furnace combustion chambers and the soot chambers, a series of dampers, said dampers being adapted to control the direction of the heating gases so that either pot may serve as a primary, while the other pot serves as a secondary or economizer for the recovery of heat from the flue gases delivered from the primary pot setting.

9. In a threepot furnace process setting, the combination of two direct-fired pots, an economizer pot, a supply of liquor to the economizer pot, and means for causing the liquor in the economizer pot to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane, said means including means for applying of the flue gases from the direct-fired pots tangentially of the economizer pot and in a direction concurrent with the rotating liquor.

10. In combination, a plurality of liquor concentrating pots, a furnace for each pot, a stack through which the furnace gases are discharged, an economizer pot, means for directing the hot gases from the furnaces to the stack, said means including means for first directingthe gases from the furnaces tangentially in a substantially horizontal direction around the pot corresponding thereto, and means for afterward passing said gases tangentially in a substantially horizontal direction around the economizer pot.

11. In combination, a plurality of liquor concentrating pots, a furnace for each pot, a stack through which the furnace gases are discharged, an economizer pot located at a higher level than the first mentioned pots, means for directing the hot gases from the furnaces to the stack, said means including means for first directing the gases from the furnaces tan entially in a substantially horizontal direction around the pot corresponding thereto, means for afterward passing said gases tangentially in a substantially horizontal direction around the economizer pot, and means for feeding liquor from the economizer pot to the concentrating pots by gravity.

12. In combination, a pot for liquor which 7 is to be heated, said pot being of curved horizontal cross section and being arranged to allow free circulation of the liquor substantially horizontally about the periphery thereof, means for applying heat to the pot in quantities that gradually decrease from a predetermined point and in a given general direction throughout a major portion of a horizontal section of the pot, whereby the liquor is caused to travel continuously in the general direction of decreasing application of heat, a container for preheating liquor, and means for applying waste heat from the heat applying means to the last mentioned container to preheat the liquor therein.

13. In combination, a pot for liquor which is to be heated, said pot being of curved horizontal cross section and being arranged to allow free circulation of the liquor substantially horizontally about the periphery thereof, means for applying heat to the pot in quantitiesthat gradually decrease from a predetermined point and in a given general direction throughout'a major portion of a horizontal section of the pot, whereby the liquor is caused to travel continuously in the general direction of decreasing application of heat, a container for preheating liquor, means for applying waste heat from the heat applying means to the last mentioned container to preheat the liquor therein, and

means for delivering liquor from the container to the pot.

retort and spaced therefrom to form a combustion chamber, and means for applying heat tangentially to the retort in quantities which gradually decrease from a predetermined point and in a given general direction only throughout a major portion of a nonvertical section of the pot.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

FRANK H. NICKLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

